Chair



Dec'. 17, 1929. l A, WURDACK' 1,740,214

yHAIR Fileed May 12, 1926 C5 Sheets-Sheet 1 A. WURDACK Dec. l 7, l 92 9'.

CHAIR Filed May 12, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 17, 1.929.

A. WURDACK CHAIR Filed May 12, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Dec. 17, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARTHUR WURDACK, OF NORMANDY, MISSOURI CHAIR Application filed May 12,

rlhis invention relates to improvements in chairs and consists of the novel construction hereinafter disclosed.

An object of the invention is to provide a chair primarily for outdoor or lawn purposes and it includes an adjustable back having means for supporting the back and seat member upon a flexible support with provision for effecting the adjustment of the back member.

Additional advantages of the construction will be apparent from the following detailed description of the invention, taken in connection with the `accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the chair with the bacl; in an intermediate position.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation.

Fig. 3 is a side view showing the back in dotted lines in upright position and in full lines in intermediate position.

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation.

Fig. 5 is a section through the chair with the back in an extended position.

Fig. 6 is a detail view showing the manner of mounting the slats that constitute the back and seat portion.

1n the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing, the frame of the chair includes front legs 1. The front legs 1 are braced by a cross member 2 extending transversely between said legs and near the bot-tom thereof. Attached to the inner sides of the legs 1 are side members 3 that incline downwardly and have their lower marginal edges running horizontally in the plane of the lower ends of the legs 1 so that the chair may be mounted upon any plane support. Attached to the outer sides of the members 3 and near their rear ends are uprights 4 constituting the rear support for the chair frame. A cross member 5 extends transversely between the members 4 at an intermediate point in their height and serves to brace the frame of the chair laterally. Attached to the inner side of each of the members 8 and between the members 1 and 4 are vertical blocks or cleats 6 which are connected by a transverse member 7 providing an intermediate support for the frame of the chair.

To the outer side of each of the members 1 1926. Serial No. 108,526.

and 2 and extending longitudinally thereof is a bracket 7. Said brackets 7 and the upper ends of the members 1 and 4 constitute supports for arm rests 8 extending from a point forward of the frame of the chair approximately horizontally to a point well in the rear thereof. Said arm rests are provided with studs 9 in lateral alinement disposed somewhat forward of the rear end of said rests. The studs 9 cooperate with a retaining member for holding the back section in upright position, as will be explained in further detail hereinafter.

The frame for the back of the chair includes two side members 10, each of which is pivoted to the upper end of the respective blocl or cleat 6 by a pivot pin or bolt 11. Extending transversely between the said members 10 and at the upper extremity thereof is a cylindrical member 12 fastened securely in said side members at each end.

At the forward part of the frame of the chair and securely attached to the front face of the legs and at an elevation for the height of the seat of the chair is a cylindrical member 18. The seat and back members are a continuous section comprising a plurality of slats 14 that are mounted on spaced cables 15, the cables passing through openings near each end of the slats and the slats being spaced by intermediate spacing washers 16, the construction being particularly shown in Fig. 6 of the drawing. The cables 15 are fastened at opposite ends to the members 12 and 14 respectively, preferably being secured thereto by wrapping the ends about said members and permanently attaching the ends thereto.

In order to hold the continuous section of slatting so as to form the seat and back members, the upper ends of heavy retractile springs 17 are connected to cables 15, while the lower ends of said springs are connected to the sides of the frame of the chair by pins 18 supported by and near the lower ends of blocks 6. The tendency of the springs 17 is to hold the seat section taut in an inclined position and to hold the back member taut regardless of its adjustment. This unitary seat and back member is resilient and flexible, being resilient in a longitudinal direction by reason of the flexibility of the cables supporting the separate slats. The spacing washers 16 are preferably made of pliable material, such as leather or rubber, so that there is a slight lateral tilting thereof under compression stresses.' The whole structure forms an extremely comfortable support ad'- justing itself readily to the curvature of the body of the user.

The back member, in the embodiment shown, is capable orp three adjustments, although it will, of course, be understood that additional adjustments, by provision ot additional stops 9, may be obtained. rlhe adjustable support for the back comprises brackets 19 depending from the rear ot' the side members l() ot the back trame. Each ot the brackets 19 has a longitudinal slot 2O and in the upright and intermediate positions ot' the back, the support includes a rod or pole 2l that extends through the longitudinal slots in the brackets 19, said .member 2l projecting over the inner edges ol the members 8.

In the upright position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, it will be noted that the ends ot the member 2l are positioned against the front sides of" the pins or stops 9. ln the intermediate position shown in Iull lines in this view, the ends of the member 2l rest directly against the upper side of the members 8 and near the rear thereof.

In the reclining or extended position of the back, the back member is supported by a bail that comprises links 22, the upper ends of which are pivoted to brackets 23 secured to the underside ot the members 8 near the rear. A cross bar or rod 24 extends transversely between the tree ends of the links 22. ln effecting the extended adjustment of the back,

the member 2l is removed and the lower' edges of the brackets 19 rest directly upon the member 2li. By swinging the bail, a slight difference in the extended position may be obtained to provide a comfortable adjustment of the seat and back member.

lf desired, the chair may be provided with a toot rest comprising members 25 mounted in supports 26, attached to the inner sides of the side members 3 near thefront legs and in supports 27 attached rearwardly to the same side members, the alinenient of the openings in the supports 26 and 2?" being inclined so that the toot rest may be moved forwardly and upwardly in its extended adjustment.

A transverse member 28 extends between the two supports 27 and in order to prevent the foot rest from being entirely withdrawn, a stop pin 29 is mounted in the rear end of each of the members 25. The forward ends of the members 25 support a suitably formed cross member 30. When in the inner adjustment, the vertical face of the toot rest 30 is disposed beneath the front edge of the seat member and flush with the front faces of the legs l. The lower edge of the vertical face of the foot rest 30 is undercut to provide means for engaging it for the purpose of effecting the desired adjustment thereof.

It will be understood that the structure is so made that it is suitable for outdoor use, although it will, of course, be understood that it is not limited to such purposes. l ain aware that the invention may be modified-in various particulars without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. A chair comprising a pair of front and a pair of rear supporting legs, an arm rest connecting the front and rear legs at each side of the chair and extending rearwardly beyond the rear legs, a side member connecting the front and rear legs at each side, a back trame pivoted to said side members, a continuous flexible seat and back member having its front end connected to said front les and its rear end connected to the upper end ot said back frame, an element arranged to engage said arm rests and support said back frame in different angles of inclination, and a bail supported by said arm rests for supporting said back trame in another angle of inclination.

2. A chair comprising a pair of front and a pair of rear supporting legs, an arm rest connecting the front and rear legs at each side of the chair and extending rearwardly beyond the rear legs, a side member connecting the front and rear legs at each side, a back trame pivoted to said side members, a continuous iiexible seat and back member having its front end connected to said front legs and its rear end connected to the upper end of said back trame, an element arranged to engage said arm rests and support said back frame in different angles of inclination, a bail supported by said arm rests for supporting said back frame in another angle of inclination, and springs connecting said seat and back member with said side members near the plane of the pivotal connection of said back frame with said side members.

3. A chair comprising a stationary trame, a back frame having its lower end pivoted to the stationary frame, a bail supported by said stationary frame, a device engageable on and removable from said stationary trame, and a pair of brackets attached to said back frame and cooperative with said bail or with said device optionally to support said back frame to diHerent angles of inclination.

ARTHUR wnnnaoir. 

